Our Quilter European Christmas Market tours have always been a popular
choice, and on our 2017 tour we will be
cruising through the loveliest areas of Europe while enjoying all that the
Christmas Season here has to offer. We have also arranged an
extension tour, and following our river cruise, you will have
option to enjoy 4 additional days in Basel, Mulhouse, France
(which many consider to be the home of modern printed fabric history), and Zurich, Switzerland.

Join World of Quilts Travel founder, Deb Roberts,
on our Viking Cruise Line Longship, the Hiln, as we sail along the Rhine River through the
Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland on our Christmas Market adventure.
The spirit and romance of the holidays will come alive with the scents
of mulled spices and traditional caroling in every village along our
way. Not only will we be touring some of Europe's finest historic
castles and sights, but during our Christmas Market visits we will enjoy
an array of stalls brimming with unique handcrafted gifts and ornaments,
as well as delicious traditional treats of the area. Always a
favorite, the Christmas Markets of Europe are sure to become one of your
best holiday memories.

Our similar Christmastime cruise for 2016 sold out
by the end of March - please do not risk disappointment by delaying your
registration.

Itinerary:

December 1, 2017: Depart from your home city to Amsterdam. Our
FREE to FLY®program allows you to depart from the city
of your choice, negotiate your best price or use mileage plans or
points if you prefer, and not have the hassle of having to meet up
with a group at an appointed airport. You leave when you want and from where you want Dinner
should be served on your flight with a light breakfast before arrival in
the morning. OR, you may purchase airfare directly from Viking at a
substantial savings, just let us know. (D, B)

December 2, 2017:
Arrive
in Amsterdam, then transfer to our ship.* After boarding, the
afternoon is yours to explore the city on your own. If your arrival
schedule permits and you are interested, you may wish to visit the
Anne Frank House. The ship will depart around 4PM. (D)

December 3, 2017:
Kinderdijk, Netherlands - Today we arrive in
Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a tour of this
ingenious network of charming windmills You learn why the windmills
were built and see how they work, plus you enter an actual working
windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. We will
enjoy the area Christmas markets before returning to the ship.
Later in the afternoon we will have several Dutch diversions: sample
handcrafted Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper
liquor, and you may try your hand at sjoelen (Dutch table
shuffleboard). Cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

December 4, 2017:
Cologne, Germany - Continuing along the
Rhine this morning we will arrive in Cologne and disembark for a
walking tour together. Stroll through Old Town past St. Martin’s
Church, and spend some time inside Cologne’s Dom, a
remarkable Gothic cathedral whose construction was begun in 1248 and
which was only completed in 1880. We will explore the Christmas
Markets, cafés and shops on our own—our guide and program directory
will also be available as needed to help you with planning your
afternoon. Dinner is served aboard and we remain docked until late
evening. (B, L, D)

December 5, 2017:
Koblenz & Rüdesheim,
Germany
-As we proceed along the Rhine, once we arrive at todays port, we
will tour 700-year-old Marksburg Castle and its museum. Lunch aboard
as you enjoy this scenic passage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where
castles overlook the river from their hilltop locations. Christmas
Markets will be included Later in the afternoon we arrive in
Rüdesheim. Here we will spend free time in the pedestrian-only
Drosselgasse enjoying the markets and take the opportunity to
sample a glass of locally produced wine at one of the restaurants or
wine bars—dine aboard or in town if you prefer. Ship departs after
midnight. (B, L, D)

December 6, 2017:
Heidelberg & Speyer
- Cruise through the morning enjoying brunch and the passing
scenery. Arrive in Mannheim and disembark for a journey to
Heidelberg to see Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386. Then
visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle,
and take in the scenery of the Neckar River Valley and the city’s
many red rooftops from its hilltop location. Continue with a walking
tour through the Old Town to Heidelberg’s renowned gates.

Rejoin our ship in Speyer this afternoon and take some time
experience the spirit and sound of the season. Our dock is in full
view of the imposing Romanesque cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Built in the 11th century on the site of a former basilica,
the building’s design was highly influential upon Romanesque
architecture for centuries to come, and is the final resting place
of eight German monarchs. Its soaring interior features graceful
rows of sandstone columns and a large stained-glass window installed
in the western façade during a later Gothic period. (B, L, D)

December 7, 2017:
Strasbourg - This morning we will dock in Kehl and disembark for a guided tour
of Strasbourg where we will see the European Parliament and tour the interior of
the city’s famed cathedral. The afternoon is free to further explore
their incredible Christmas Markets at the foot of the historic Strasbourg
Cathedral. You enjoy this Alsatian city’s blend of French and
German cultures—fabulous churches, medieval covered bridges,
beautiful parks and some lovely Art Nouveau and modernist
architecture. Dine aboard and enjoy free time this evening in the
quaint little city of Kehl. (B, L, D)

December 8, 2017:
Breisach -

After cruising through the night we will arrive
in Breisach, which is the gateway to the Black Forest. We will enjoy
a scenic excursion through the area’s renowned mountain landscape,
rolling meadows and dense forests. A visit to a local cuckoo-clock
workshop to learn how the clocks are made will be a highlight of the
day. We will
return to Breisach for some free time before an early evening
departure. Or, you may choose an optional excursion to the quaint
Alsatian town of Colmar. Dine aboard while we cruise on to Basel,
arriving around midnight. (B, L, D)

December 9, 2017:
Basel

After breakfast, we will disembark. Those who are not joining
our optional tour to Mulhouse and Zurich will proceed to the airport
for your return flight unless you have made other arrangements.

Optional Tour: Following breakfast and
good-bye's, we will be met in Basel by a deluxe coach
and be dropped for our first stop at the central Basel Christmas Market area. Enjoy
mulled cider or fresh coffee as you wander around the beautiful
Basel square, taking in the sights while picking up some wonderful
Swiss handcrafts as gifts. Then, it is on to Mulhouse, France, which is
the European home to modern printed fabric
history. Mulhouse is known throughout the area, in fact the world as the
home to fabric printing mills in the 18th and 19th centuries and the
city was built around the bustling business of these mills. Even
though the mills are long gone, Mulhouse has not forgotten its
textile heritage. During the Christmas Market season, the town
celebrates with decorations made from the a specially selected
fabric of the year. While here, we will enjoy the spirit of
textiles only found in Mulhouse where we will have a special private tour of
the Museum of Printed Textiles. After our time in Mulhouse, we
will go to Zurich where we will also be able to enjoy Swiss holiday
sights and sounds and see the world's largest Christmas tree
that is decorated with over 1,000,000 Swarovski Crystals ornaments.

Itinerary, Optional TourDecember 9, Mulhouse: Upon arrival into Mulhouse, we will check into our
historic art deco 4 star hotel where the remainder of the
afternoon is yours to enjoy on our own. Be sure to head toward the
town square to see the Mulhouse City Hall decorated from top to bottom with
red and green holiday fabric, reproduced from one of thousands of
early printed samples just for the 2014 Christmas Season. The
best example of the city's fabric traditions is the draped City Hall
which stands proudly in front of the
Christmas Market stalls filled with local favorites. B.

December 10, Mulhouse; Today, we will visit the Museum of
Printed Textiles for a tour and time to enjoy their spectacular
Christmas Market Boutique. The museum goes all out to create special
fabric and textile related items which they sell only during the holiday season.
After our museum visit, the remainder of the day is free for you to
enjoy the area. You may choose to return to the Mulhouse Market or
take the train to the charming town of Colmar for another view of
Christmas, Alsatian style. You are also not too far from
Germany's Black Forest and it is just a short train ride away to
another wonderful Holiday market.

December 11, Zurich. We will travel this
morning to Zurich. Our hotel will be located within walking
distance of the city center and the spectacular Christmas market at
the Zurich train station. You will feel as if you have been
transported back in time in the old station where you will find
market stalls surrounding the centerpiece, and incredible 50' tall
tree decorated from top to bottom with 1,000,000 Swarovski crystal ornaments.

December 12, Zurich: Today, we depart Europe for home. Departure
is independent as everyone has individual flights. Our guide will
be able to help you make any airport arrangements.

Travel Protection Information

Click here
to download information on
Travel Protection. The premium is approximately 8-10% of your total trip cost.

Classes in cooking specialties like apple strudel and Alsatian
flammkuchen

Traditional performances of folk music and dance, or waltzes by Strauss

Special tasting of local cheeses, coffees, liqueurs and other delicacies

While there is not a specific workshop for this cruise, we will offer a
wool appliqué project designed especially for the Christmas season.
The kit and materials are included in the cost of your cruise. (Image will
be posted during 2017.)

Insurance cost is approximately 8-10% of your trip cost.
Above prices include a savings discount for those who pay by cash.
The regular cruise price with out the cash discount is approximately 3% more.

Our project will be similar to this wool
appliqué
candle mat.

Fare(s) in USD, per person, based on double
occupancy, cruise only, subject to availability, are capacity
controlled, may be limited by residency. See the applicable Viking
Cruise Lines brochure or
visit
www.vikingcruises.com for terms,
conditions and definitions that apply to all bookings. Other
restrictions may apply. Visa fees, passport fees,
gratuities, insurance and shore tours are not included in the above pricing. Holland
America or Deb Roberts' Tours are not responsible for typographical errors
or omissions.
Travel protection is optional and is not applicable until the final
payment has been made.
Flexibility during cruise port time is allowed so each passenger may enjoy
the area at their leisure. As port time is often quite limited,
unless specified on this website, escorted trips to quilt shops or other
group activities while on shore are not planned so that one has control of
their time in each port. Availability is not guaranteed until a deposit is
received and a booking is made.

Leading the way in quilt inspired journeys®
since 2004.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, there may be
times when tours, teachers, itinerary, inclusions, projects and schedules may need to change
without notice. In order to participate in related activities, all cruises
and tours offered through World of Quilts Travel must be booked through Deb
Roberts Tours. We cannot make exceptions, thank you for your
understanding. Deb Roberts' Tours is not responsible for typographical
errors or omissions.

COPYRIGHT 2004-2014 DEB
ROBERTS - Itineraries, images or text may not be used without written
permission.

Trips, itineraries and provided information are
the intellectual property of Deb Roberts Tours and protected under copyright
law.

World of Quilts is a subsidiary of Deb Roberts' Tours
which is a California registered
seller of travel (#2090694-40) and is a participant in the Travel Consumer
Restitution Corporation.

All rights reserved.

Due to
unforeseen circumstances, there may be times when tours, teachers,
itinerary, inclusions, projects, special offers and schedules may need to change
or be canceled without
notice. In order to participate in related activities, all cruises and
tours offered through World of Quilts Travel must be booked through Deb
Roberts Tours. We cannot make exceptions, thank you for your
understanding. Deb Roberts' Tours is not responsible for typographical
errors or omissions.